If you have a busy weekday, finding the time to catch up with the news can be challenging. And with so much happening, scrolling on social media or going through news headlines can often feel overwhelming. Headlines cover your social media feed, your email inbox, and your online subscriptions.
For a curated news experience, look no further than news podcasts. This podcast format allows for concise storytelling. Each episode is either short and covers the headlines you need to know or a longer episode format that can deep dive into complex subject matter. A great news podcast features an experienced journalist who knows how to tell stories that matter.
Where to Find News Podcasts
If you’re looking for news podcasts or investigative podcasts, they’re easy to find and stream from your computer or mobile device. For Apple users, the Apple Podcast app is already built into iOS and is free to download and listen to podcasts.
The most popular podcast streaming app for podcast listeners is Spotify, and it is free to listen to with ads. Listen to podcasts as you would music on Spotify – just search for a show, navigate to the latest episode, and hit play!
Here are the best news podcasts to listen to so you can stay informed about our changing world.
Best News Podcasts 2023
The Daily
One of the most popular news podcasts in the world, The New York Times’ The Daily is hosted by journalists Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise. Episodes highlight investigative journalism and explanations of complex subjects and what’s going on in the news today, all usually wrapped up in around 20 minutes, five days a week.
TIME’s The Brief
Established news source and magazine TIME has a news podcast that features daily analysis of world events. TIME journalists analyze and discuss multiple topics each day and deliver factual news reporting that is both interesting and in-depth.
Apple News Today
For Apple Podcast users, Apple News Today is the company’s offering for daily news. It features mostly US news and is a great way to stay informed. Host Shumita Basu tackles a different subject each day in this short-form podcast, with episodes around the 10-minute mark.
Today, Explained
If you’re overwhelmed by the barrage of news headlines, Vox’s Today, Explained covers it all and more. Tackling one subject in-depth daily, hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King bring a reporter from the Vox Media Podcast network to cover important news of the day. From technology to pop culture to current events, they explain it all in 30 minutes or less.
NPR Up First
NPR is infamous for investigative journalism and its polished, well-produced investigative podcast shows, but if you want something informative, short, and sweet, podcast listeners love Up First. For a 10 to 15-minute recap of what’s going on in the news, this show covers the daily headlines you need to know, released each morning.
NPR News Now
News Now has you covered if you’re looking for the latest news. This podcast is updated hourly and delivers the latest news in five minutes. You won’t find any past episodes here, just the latest episode available to stream. It’s a great option if you need a quick update on what’s going on right now.
Global News Podcasts
These podcasts cover not only American news, but offer a global perspective and cover more than just the most-talked-about events.
Monocle 24: The Globalist
For an international perspective on the daily news, Monocle 24’s The Globalist offers a global view of what’s going on in our changing world. Episodes are around an hour long, with Monocle 24’s editors and journalists discussing current fears and business stories each day.
World News Roundup
CBS’s World News Roundup is America’s longest-running news broadcast, so if you’re looking for a news podcast from a trusted news source, look no further. They offer complete coverage of the news each weekday, in ten minutes or less.
TV News Broadcasts, Available As Podcasts
If you’re on the go and unable to watch the nightly news, you’re in luck. Chances are your favorite news broadcast is also available in podcast format. We’ve got our top news broadcasts here.
Global News Podcast
BBC World Service offers a podcast version of their popular radio news report. Just like any radio news broadcast on BBC News, they offer the latest headlines, exciting interviews, and the day’s top stories. Episodes are about half an hour in length and are released twice a day on weekdays and once a day on weekends.
PBS NewsHour
PBS NewsHour has been running for seven nights a week since 1975. Anchor Judy Woodruff takes you through the day’s news stories and is also available in podcast format. The podcast features the full broadcast of the TV show and doesn’t miss any important details.
ABC Nightline
Another TV program available in the broadcast format, ABC Nightline offers in-depth reporting on the major news stories happening today. Updated daily, episodes are about 19 minutes in length and feature anchors Juju Chang and Byron Pitts.
NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt
Anchor Lester Holt takes you through the news in about 20 minutes, featuring the day’s stories from reporters out in the field, interesting interviews, and international events. This podcast is updated every weekday evening and is a podcast format of the nightly news on NBC.
CBS Evening News
The nightly newscast of CBS Evening News offers breaking stories from the United States and around the world. Anchor Norah O’Donnell walks you through current events and all the stories that impact your world, with the daily episode runtime at about 19 minutes.
Conclusion
It can often feel hard to stay up-to-date with current affairs, but turning on a news podcast is often just the trick to keeping informed. It’s the perfect solution for when you don’t have time to sit and watch the nightly news broadcast and just need a news recap for the day.
There are plenty of podcasts available that vary in length and news reporting style. If you’re looking for a short, concise overview of the headlines, or a long and in-depth news report, podcasts have got you covered.